Switching device



Nov. 3, 1936 H, J, r z 2,059,513 4 SWITCHING DEVICE Filed June 9, 1.930

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCHING DEVICE Harrison J. L. Frank, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Bulldog Electric Products Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of West Virginia Application Julie 9, 1930, Serial No. 460,061

7 Claims. (Cl. 200-50) This invention relates to the construction of enclosed switches and of the box in which they are mounted, and is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 686,585, filed January 16, 1924, Harrison J. L. Frank, patented October 21,

An object of this invention is a switch having three positions: (1) the off position, during which no current flows thru the switch; (2) the service position during which current flows thru the switch and thru meter coils in series therewith; (3) a meter test position during which current flows thru the switch but not through the meter coils associated therewith, .these being out of circuit whereby they may be tested by a properly authorized person without interrupting the flow of current thru the switch and to the consumer.

A further object is a novel form of meter test and service switch, one which requires very little movement from its service position to its meter test position and which can be moved to and from said positions without interrupting the flow of current from the line through the switch.

A still. further object is a switch construction wherein a movable cover is interlocked with the switch whereby the cover cannot be closed while the switch is in its meter test position and until the switch has been moved to its service position.

A further object is a switch construction having a part adapted to be moved by the movable cover to insure proper setting of the switch in its service position.

A still further object is a switch having a movable cover therefor and means to lock the switch and the cover to each other in the off or in the service position of the switch.

A further object is a switch which is economical of manufacture, efficient in operation, and which cannot accidentally be left in its meter test position without attracting the attention of proper persons.

A still further object is a meter test and service switch which is so constructed that unau- 4 thorized or unmetered use of the switch and current is prevented.

Still other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is an elevation view of the vertically mounted switch, the cover being open, and the switch being shown in its meter test position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation view of the switch construction with the door closed.

Fig. 3 shows the cooperation of the switch blade and the stationary contacts.

Fig. 4 shows in part, and separated the contacts used in the switch. 7

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a part.

The switch comprises a box I adapted to be mounted on a suitable panel or the like and having side walls 2 and an end wall 4 supplied with hinges 5 to which is connected the cover 6 having side walls indicated at 9. Disposed above the box is a meter indicated at M and having a plurality of coils a. and b, and a plurality of binding posts a. and a b and 12*, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Suitably mounted within the box is a base of insulating material and to this base are attached the pedestals 32 and 33, to which the knife blades 36 and 31 are pivoted.

These blades are connected by insulating cross bars 39 to one of which, by a lost motion connection, is connected the shaft 42. The connection includes a piece 40' secured to one of the blades 31 and having thereon a lug 4| through a hole of which passes the shank 4|a of a piece whose hub 42a surrounds and is secured to the shaft 42. An operating handle 43 on the outside of the box is used to swing the shaft 42 and so open and close the switch.

Mounted on the base 30 are the contacts 45, 46, 48, and 49. than contacts 48 and 49, and are provided with bowed out portions 45a and 46a at their lower sections, whereby knife blades 36 and 31 do not ongage contacts 45 and 46 when it is in its lowest or meter test position. Contacts 45 and 48, and 46 and 49, are so formed that knife blades 36 or 31 engage only 45 and 46, when in its service position, only 48 and 49 when in its meter test position, and both 45 and 48, and 46 and 48, when in an intermediate position, or when being moved from one position to the other.

The connections, thereto, to the pedestals 32 and 33, and to the meter are shown in Fig. 1 and consist of the service wires 5|, 52 and 53, the load wires 54, 55 and 56, the wires 51, 58, 58 and 66 connecting to the meter, and the wires 6| and 62 connecting the contacts 48 .and 48 to the line wires 5| and 52.

Under ordinary working or service conditions, the knife blades 36 and 31 are at an angle to the base, as shown in Fig. 3, extending through the upper portions of the contacts 45 and 46 and the blades 36 and 31 do not engage the contacts 48 and 49. The circuit is over service wire 5|, wire 6|, wire 58, meter winding a, wire 51, contact 45, knife 'blade 35, pedestal 32 and load wire 54. On the other side the circuit is over service wire 52. wire 62, wire 59, meter winding 1), wire 60, contact 46, knife blade 31, pedestal 33, and load wire 56.

When a three wire system is employed, the neutral wires 53 and 55 may connect to each other in any suitable manner.

When it is desired to test the meter M, the cover 6 is swung back to expose the switch and the small bar I2 is pulled outward, to the position shown in Fig. 1. This bar is slidably mounted in suitable guides 12a and has a notch 13 which when in registry with the blade 36 permits the blade to swing to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3. The blades are thus disengaged from the contacts and 45 and cut out he load from the meter M, the line connections 58 and 59 still being connected.

During the period when the switch is being moved to the inward or lower position, the blade 36 is at one point in engagement with both contacts 45 and 45, and the blade 31 is in engagement with both contacts 45 and 49. As the blade 36 is placed in full contact with contact 48 and the blade 31 is placed in full contact with 49, they are completely disengaged from contacts 45 and 46.

The load is then transferred from the metering position to the shunt position without interrupting the flow of current to the consumer. The tester, by means of connectors, may now attach to the meter, the proper terminals, and make the desired tests. The shunt circuit thus created for one of the lines 5|, comprises the wire SI, contact 48, blade 36, pedestal 32, and wire 54, and permits uninterrupted current flow into the load wire 54, while at the same time, meter M is completely out of circuit with the load.

In order to restrain unauthorized persons from cutting out the meter M while the box is closed and sealed, the bar I2 has an end 14 which extends into the path of the side 9 of the cover while the notch 13 is in register with the blade 36. The bar 12 must therefore be pushed in before the cover can be closed, which act cannot be done while the parts are in the meter test position shown in Fig. 1, due to the fact that the end 14a will abut the blade 31.

In order to insure the blades 36 and 31 being swung to proper full contact position between the upper ends of the two sides of the contacts 45 and 46, the handle 43 may be curved as shown in Fig. 2 and a small bracket 15 may be attached to the side 9 of the cover so that when the cover is closed down, this bracket will engage and move the handle 43 and force the knife-blades away from the base 30 and into proper position. The bracket 15 also prevents the meter being cut out while the cover is closed down since it prevents handle 43 being forced towards the back of the switch.

This bracket may have a hole (not shown) to receive a padlock or other seal whereby the switch may be locked in closed position, while a similar plate TI on a side 2 of the box is provided with a hole 18 which permits the switch handle to be padlockcd thereto so as to maintain the switch in open position. I

It will thus be observed that there has been provided a switch construction readily movable to and from service position and to and from meter test position, without interruption of the flow of current to the consumer, and that there also has been disclosed a switch construction which effectively prevents unmctered use oi the current.

I claim1--- 1. In a switch box having a movable cover, I switch having movable parts adapted to be moved from a service position to a meter test position. and vice versa, and means to prevent closing 01' said cover unless said switch has been moved from its meter test position to its service position, said means including a notched bar adapted to prevent movement of said switch from service position to meter test position except when said notch is in register with a movable part 01' said switch.

2. In a switch box having a movable cover, a switch having movable parts adapted to be moved from a service position to a meter test position. and vice versa, and means to prevent closing of said cover unless said switch has been moved from its meter test position to its service position, said means including a notched bar adapted to prevent movement of said switch from service position to meter test position except when said notch is in register with a movable part of said switch, and having a part adapted to prevent closing of said cover when said notch is in register-with said movable part, and also having a part which prevents movement of said bar until said switch has been moved out of its meter tell: position.

3. In a switch, the combination of a base of insulating material, a contact pivotally mounted thereon, a pair of closely adjacent spaced stationary contacts mounted on the base on the same side of the pivot and in alignment with the pivoted contact and adapted to be engaged thereby consecutively when the pivoted contact is moved in either direction, conductors connecting to the pivotal end of the pivoted contact and to the stationary contacts, a case for said switch. a cover for the case, and interlocking means preventing the pivoted contact from being moved out of engagement with one of said stationary contacts while the cover is closed.

4. In a switch, the combination of a base, I. pair of knife blade contacts pivoted thereon, a pair of stationary contacts for each knife blade and in alignment therewith and at different distances from the pivots thereof, the stationary contacts having surfaces at difl'erent distances from said base to engage the knife blades so that a knife blade can be engaged by either stationary contact independently or by both simultaneously, a pivoted arm to actuate the knife blades, a case for the switch and a cover therefor, and a notched bar slidable into the path of movement of a blade and adapted to prevent the cover from being closed until knife blades have been moved to engage certain of the stationary contacts.

5. A service and meter testing switch comprising an insulating base, stationary and movable contacts mounted thereon, operating means for the movable contacts to vary their connections with the stationary contacts, meter testing terminals, means to change the movable contacts from metering to meter testing position, and a locking device normally preventing the change of the movable contacts from metering position to meter testing position.

6. In a switch box having a movable cover, a switch adapted to be moved from a service position to a meter test position, and vice versa, and slidable means movable to a position to per-- mit the switch to be moved from service position to meter test position, the means, when in the position mentioned, serving to prevent closing of said cover.

'7. In a switch box having a. movable cover, a switch adapted to be moved from a service position to a. meter test position, and vice versa, and means to prevent closing of said cover unless said switch has been moved from its meter test position to its service position, said means including a portion of said cover, positioned to engage a movable part of said switch disposed outside of said box and to prevent closing of said cover except when said switch has been moved from its meter test position to its service position, and when said movable part has been moved from its meter test position to its service position, said movable part when in its meter test position,

being so positioned in the path of movement of the cover portion as to-be engaged thereby with a glancing, rather than a direct blow, whereby it will not be injured by accidental closing movement of said cover on meter test.

HARRISON J. L. FRANK. 

